Often, if an episode of a TV show falls on or near Halloween - or sometimes even simply in the month of October - the writers of the show will decide to set the episode at the same time, showing the characters celebrating, or sometimes refusing to celebrate, the holiday.
Alternatively, some decide to make the episode 'Halloween-themed', even if not set during the holiday. For instance, a non-horror show might do an unusually horror-themed episode, or a show dealing with horror or the supernatural might choose to go for a more 'classic' monster for that episode, such as a Dracula-esque vampire, or ghosts. Regardless of the approach, some Halloween episodes stand head-and-shoulders above the rest.
10 Angel - 'Life Of The Party'
In an unusual turn, Angel decided to make its Halloween episode a more comic one than their average fare, especially in the relatively dark Season 5, rather than amping up the horror. The plot is kicked off by Lorne having his "sleep" removed so he has time to plan a Halloween party, which causes untold chaos when his friends have to do what he says.
Featuring one character urinating to "mark his territory", the group's smartest members getting drunk off of tiny amounts of alcohol, and a grumpy vampire having no choice but to dance, the episode caps off with an attack by an enormous green sleep demon. It's strange watching, even for Angel, and all the better for it.
9 American Horror Story: Asylum - 'Tricks And Treats'
Given the terrifying happenings in every episode of American Horror Story, the main differences of their Halloween episodes tend to be that the events within happen at Halloween - and are usually all the more nightmarish for it.
The sophomore Halloween special of American Horror Story features horrors both mundane and supernatural, as institutional torment from Sister Jude is visited upon Lana, Kit, and Grace, against a backdrop of Dr. Arden menacing a prostitute, and Sister Mary Eunice and Dr. Thredson being roped into an exorcism that sees the former possessed.
8 The Big Bang Theory - 'The Middle-Earth Paradigm'
Another instance of horror not being the focus of an episode, this early episode of The Big Bang Theory is credited with setting the template for much of the success of early seasons, thrusting the gang into a mundane everyday situation and watching them struggle to navigate it.
In this episode, Leonard, Sheldon, Raj, and Howard are invited to Penny's Halloween party, and the show chronicles their misadventures as they deal with costumes, Penny's ex-boyfriend, and socializing with strangers.
7 Stranger Things - 'Trick Or Treat, Freak'
Stranger Things lacks a Halloween episode in its first season, due to the events taking place in November, and the show itself actually airing in July. It more than makes up for it in the second season, with an episode centered around the day itself.
Due to the fast-paced plot progression of Stranger Things, the show doesn't take a break from its regular storylines to do anything particular for the day, but it is nonetheless a fan-favorite episode as numerous plots progress. Max becomes closer with the group, Hopper and Eleven's relationship frays as Hopper investigates the mystery plaguing Hawkins, and Nancy and Steve struggle to deal with the fallout from the previous season.
6 Friends - 'The Halloween Party'
Over its runtime, Friends only has a single Halloween episode, despite regular episodes for Christmas and Thanksgiving. Horror and the supernatural are out-of-genre for the show, so the episode instead revolves around the hijinks at a party thrown by Chandler and Monica.
The most topical of the storylines in the show is Rachel's struggles with trick-or-treating children, with the others being such un-Halloween-ish events such as an arm-wrestling contest and Phoebe's relationship problems, but the episode nonetheless provides classic Friends content.
5 Supernatural - 'Monster Movie'
Supernatural lacks a Halloween episode until Season 4, but the episode has since gone down as beloved by fans, as well as one of the favorite episodes of actor Jared Padalecki. Taking a break from the typical apocalyptic storyline, the show instead revisits the 'monster plaguing a small town' adventures of earlier seasons, full of homages to classic horror movies.
Showing Sam and Dean going up against a shapeshifter taking the form of classic movie monsters, the episode is even shown in black-and-white to emulate the old-timey feel.
4 Buffy The Vampire Slayer - 'Fear, Itself'
In contrast to its spin-off, Buffy the Vampire Slayer's Season 4 Halloween episode chooses to blend horror and humor together. The main characters go to a Halloween frat party, where a Fear Demon is inadvertently summoned, causing everything to become nightmarish yet again for the cast on Halloween.
Ultimately, despite some gory visuals, the tension is dispelled with a chain saw and with a demon that is only inches tall, but there are some impressive moments in the episode prior, and fans remember it fondly as one of the high points in a season that is otherwise considered to be lacking.
3 Brooklyn Nine-Nine: HalloVeen
Brooklyn Nine-Nine has an unusual take on an annual Halloween episode, in that every year, the episode closest to Halloween takes the form of a competitive heist between the main characters, done on Halloween night (and on one occasion on Cinco de Mayo). The seeming lack of sense this makes is lampshaded by the characters more than once.
While all of the Halloween heists are fan-favorite episodes, it is the fifth one, 'HalloVeen' that eclipses all the others. With the schemes only getting more outlandish and the stakes increasing, the episode is best remembered for being the one in which Jake Peralta proposes to Amy Santiago at the heist's climax.
2 American Horror Story: Murder House - Halloween
A two-parter, 'Halloween' begins American Horror Story's loose trend of Halloween episodes. Portraying the holiday as the one night a year that ghosts can leave the Murder House, the episode follows several plotlines as the ghosts make use of their temporary freedom.
With plot progression, scares, and earth-shattering revelations about characters such as Tate Langdon, the episode sticks out in the memories of fans. Part 1 was nominated for a Primetime Emmy award, despite not winning.
1 The Simpsons - Treehouse Of Horror V
One of The Simpsons' longest-running traditions is the annual 'Treehouse of Horror' episode, beginning in the second season and continuing into the present day. Each episode takes the form of an anthology, where three horror-themed stories - usually riffing on popular culture - are told.
Despite the sheer number of episodes in this tradition - XXXI being the latest - many of them well-regarded, Season 6's 'Treehouse of Horror V' is considered by many fans to have never been topped in terms of its humor, deep pop-culture references, and intelligence.